During the election seven candidates of
Alternative for Germany (AfD) died, sparking
conspiracy theories on social media. The candidates were between the ages of 42 and 80 and - with the exception of one 42-year-old man, who committed
suicide - died of natural causes, according to police.
Martin Vincentz, chair of the AfD North Rhine-Westphalia said that there was "no indication of an unnatural cause of death", but "if many people see the possibility of a
political murder, it's a consequence of the ruthless fight against the AfD over the past few years." The elected mayor of
Herdecke Iris Stalzer (SPD) was stabbed by her adopted daughter on 7 October 2025. She was found in a life-threatening condition and taken to hospital via helicopter. Stalzer has since made a full recovery and was sworn in as the mayor of Herdecke on 4 November 2025. In 2025, the far-right
Third Way party won a seat in the North Rhein-Westphalia local elections. ==Results==